There are LED-based lighting systems currently available that promote growth for plants and/or animal habitat, marine life, etc. These LED-based lighting systems include an LED source offering spatial control of spectral output which can allow a user-defined or preprogrammed appropriate spectrum for growth of specific marine plant and animal life. Though these lighting systems are satisfactory for their designed applications, there is a need for a marine lighting system that can be upgraded such that the system allows a user to readily add new or different operational modes and features to the system or upgrade the system by replacing a single piece or part of a control system, without requiring an entire lighting system to be returned to a manufacturer or point of sale.